Accessible Gaming Campaign

Why is there so little thought for disabled gamers in the design of games? Is it cost? Is it confusion and ignorance? Is it something else? This campaign asks YOU to get in touch with the people who can make a difference, and tell them what you think.

A wide desire for greater accessibility in gaming has been there since Pong (1972). Surely it's time for all game designers to bear this in mind.

IGDA (The International Game Developers Association) is a non-profit membership organization that advocates globally on issues related to digital game creation. The IGDA's mission is to strengthen the international game development community and effect change to benefit that community. A central point of accessibility work and campaigning can be found within the Game Accessibility Special Interest Group:

• www.igda.org/accessibility/ - then click on the WIKI link for much more.

Accessible Gaming Forums and on-line petitions

• Game Accessibility Forum - Have your say and learn about new developements.
• IGDA Game Accessibility Mailing List - Join up for lively discussion.
• Petition for Subtitles and Captions - Add your signature.
• Accessibility Angle Forum - The Retro Remakes programmers help forum.
• Help You Play - Accessible Design Patterns for game designers.

Powerful People to Contact and Lobby

ELSPA (the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) was founded in 1989 to establish a specific and collective identity for the British computer and video games industry.

Since then, the membership has steadily grown from 12 to nearly 100 companies, including almost all the major companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure and entertainment software in the UK. ELSPA works to protect, promote and provide for the interests of all its members, as well as addressing issues that affect the industry as a whole through:

Roger Bennett 
Director General

Michael Rawlinson 
Deputy Director General

ELSPA Ltd.
167 Wardour Street
London W1F 8WL
Tel: 020 7534 0580
Fax: 020 7534 0581

CESA (Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association) through its various research and promotional activities...works actively to further promote the computer entertainment industry (centering on the home use of personal computer games and related services) with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of Japanese industry as well as to the further enrichment of people's lifestyles.

E-mail: info@cesa.or.jp 

ESA (Entertainment Software Association) acts as the spokesperson for the industry as a whole, working proactively to communicate positive messages about the industry, while at the same time aggressively working to correct the myths and falsehoods that are sometimes perpetuated about the industry.

E-mail: esa@theesa.com 

KGDI Korea's equivalent body promoting their national gaming scene.

E-mail: webgame@gameinfinity.or.kr 

Please send any comments to: info@OneSwitch.org.uk